Words With Friends vs. Scrabble: What's the Real Difference?
At a glance, Words With Friends and Scrabble are the same game: a square board, seven tiles on your rack, and points for building words. Play both for a while, though, and you notice that habits from one do not always work in the other. The differences are small but they change strategy, so it is worth knowing exactly what they are.
The quick comparison
| Scrabble | Words With Friends | |
|---|---|---|
| Board | 15 × 15 | 15 × 15 |
| Tiles in the bag | 100 | 104 |
| Blank tiles | 2 | 2 |
| Bonus for using all seven tiles | 50 points | 35 points |
| Premium squares | Classic Scrabble layout | A different layout of its own |
| Dictionary | Official tournament word lists | The game's own word list |
Letter values: the biggest practical change
Most letters are worth the same in both games, but 12 are not. These are the values each game gives them:
| Letter | Scrabble | Words With Friends |
|---|---|---|
| B | 3 | 4 |
| C | 3 | 4 |
| G | 2 | 3 |
| H | 4 | 3 |
| J | 8 | 10 |
| L | 1 | 2 |
| M | 3 | 4 |
| N | 1 | 2 |
| P | 3 | 4 |
| U | 1 | 2 |
| V | 4 | 5 |
| Y | 4 | 3 |
The pattern is simple once you see it. Words With Friends makes most of the middle-value consonants (B, C, G, L, M, N, P and V) worth one point more, adds a point to U, and pushes J up to 10. In exchange, H and Y are each worth one point less. That has a real effect on which words are worth playing:
| Word | Scrabble | Words With Friends |
|---|---|---|
| JUMBO | 16 | 21 |
| JINX | 18 | 21 |
| HAZY | 19 | 17 |
| QUIZ | 22 | 23 |
| ZEPHYR | 23 | 22 |
JUMBO is a solid play in Scrabble and a strong one in Words With Friends. HAZY, which relies on H and Y, is worth slightly more in Scrabble. Scores shown are face value before premium squares.
Why the smaller bingo bonus matters
In Scrabble, using all seven tiles in one move earns a 50-point bonus, which often decides games. Expert players will happily keep strong letters on their rack and make small plays for several turns, waiting for that bingo.
In Words With Friends the bonus is 35 points. Bingos are still valuable, but the gap between a bingo and a well-placed high-value tile is narrower. In practice that means steady scoring, especially with the higher-value consonants on premium squares, matters relatively more.
The board is laid out differently
Both boards are 15 squares by 15, but the double- and triple-letter and word squares are not in the same places. If you have played a lot of Scrabble, your instinct for where the big squares are will be slightly wrong in Words With Friends. Take a moment to look at the board before you plan a big play.
Different dictionaries
Competitive Scrabble uses official word lists, which differ between North America and the rest of the world. Words With Friends uses its own list. Most everyday words are accepted in all of them, but short, unusual words are where they disagree. A word you have relied on in one game may not be accepted in the other, so if in doubt, check before you play.
Which is better?
Neither. Scrabble rewards patience and deep vocabulary; Words With Friends is quicker, more casual and easier to play over days with friends. If you enjoy one, you will almost certainly enjoy the other. Our Scrabble word finder and Words With Friends solver score words using each game's own letter values, so you can see the difference for yourself.
Scrabble is a registered trademark of Hasbro in the US and Canada and of Mattel elsewhere. Words With Friends is a registered trademark of Zynga. EasyUnscramble is independent and not affiliated with either.
Related reading: Words With Friends tips · Scrabble letter values
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